Apparatus for detecting the presence and volume of fire-damp and other light gas in mines, &amp;c.



No.852.'895. PATENTED MAY-7.1901

J. MQOUTOHEON.

APPARATUS FOR DETECTING THE PRESENCE AND VOLUME OF FIRE DAMP AND OTHER LIGHT GAS IN MINES, 8:0,

APPLICATION FILED APR.1B .1'906.

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HI] H WITNESSES flawmlgasergola BY RNEYS THE uoxms PETERS cu, WASHINGTON. n c.

No. 852,895. PATENTED MAY 7, 1907. J. McCUTGH-EON.

APPARATUS FOR DETECTING THE PRESENCE AND VOLUME OF FIRE DAMP AND OTHER LIGHT GAS IN MINES, 6w.

APPLICATION FILED APR.18,1906.

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INVENTOR jwuMQulb/unu ORNEYS THE mmms PETERS co., WASH/Moron, o. c

JAMES MOCUTOHEON, OF EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND.

APPARATUS FOR DETECTING THE PRESENCE AND VOLUME OF FlRE-DAMP AND OTHER LlGHT GAS IN MINES, do.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 7, 1 907.

Application filed April 13.1906. Serial No. 312,367.

1'0 (M7 whom, it Huey concern:

Be it known that I, JAMEs Me-CU'rcI-rEoN, lecturer in chemistry, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, and a resident of Edinburgh, Scotland, have inventedcertain new and useful improvements in apparatus for detecting the presence and volume of ire-damp (methane) and other light gas in mines and other places, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to improvements in apparatus of a portable nature for detecting the presence and volume of iire damp (methane) and other light gas in mines and other places.

In order that my said invention and the manner of carrying same into practice may be properly understood I have hereunto appended explanatory drawings in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of apparatus as constructed in accordance with my improvements. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of part of the apparatus as detached from Fig. 1 and Fig. 3 is an elevation corresponding to Fig. 1 but showing a rear view of the apparatus.

Referring to these drawings :According to my improvements the apparatus consists of a U like shaped vertical tube '1, 2. From the lower part of one of the limbs, preferably the right 1., branches another parallel tube 3, and near the junction of these tubes a stop cock 4 is fitted. At the upper part of this third tube 3 is located a reservoir 5 at a higher level than the other U shaped tubes 1 and 2 and at the top of this reservoir 5 is connected by a branch 6 an india rubber or flexible ball or bag 7 provided with a stop cock or valve 8. Within the reservoir 5 is placed a mobile liquid preferably azine which comprises paraffin or other mineral oil treated with suitable coloring matter.

By opening the stop cock 4 at lower part of branch tube 3 the fluid or liquid finds entrance into the U shaped tubes 1 and 2. By closing the stop cock l at bottom of third branch 3 and simultaneously compressing by hand the india rubber ball 7 at top of branch tube 6 and opening the stop cock 8 attached, air is expelled, and on closing this stop cock 8 a vacuum is formed which on opening the cock 4 at bottom of branch 3 will draw the liquid from the other tubes 1 and 2 into this branch 3 and so lower or adjust l their level to regulate a float and electrical l connections as hereinafter described.

l In the left limb 2 of the U tube is the float 9 made of vulcanite or other suitable material. To this float 9 there is fixed an upright rod 10 of aluminium or other rigid material, terminating at the top with a horizontal disk 11 of metal having a covering of platinum l foil. To the top of the stand on which the l U tube is fixed, and immediately above the i left limb 2 of the U tube, is placed a spring terminal 12 of an electric current.

A scale indicating per-ccntages of light gas present is placed at top of stand, and this scale would preferably consist of a rod 13 to which the spring terminal 12 is attached, having rack teeth gearing into a pinion 14. A pointer 15 is mounted on the spindle of pinion and indicates on a dial 16 the per centages of gas present in the air of mine. A screw threaded spindle 17 is formed at top of rod 13 for adjusting by turning a milled headed disk 18 through the screw threaded nut 19 the distance of spring contact 12 from disk 11.

Attached to the upright rod 10 of the float 9 as shown in Fig. 2 is a small platinum wire 20 dipping into a closed cup 21 containing mercury, to establish electric contact.

The two contacts 11 and 12 are connected 3 by wires 22 and 23 respectively with preferl ably a dry battery or batteries 24 to provide l an electric currentso that when the platinum l disk 11 and the spring terminal 12 are in conl l tact the electric circuit is closed; the wires and 23 being connected with an electric l bel 25 or other alarm, and the two contacts 1 11 and 12 cause the bell to ring when they come into contact, and so give the alarm to l the operator present at that p art of the mine. There is also attached to the base of the l stand Z a switch 26 for shutting oil or on the electric current. T he stand is also provided with a spirit level 27 and the stand Z can be raised or lowered by means of adjustable screws 28 and milled headed disks 29.

To produce endosmose action porous ball or receiver 80 of unglazed earthenware is attached by means of a rubber stopper 31 to the top end of the right limb l, of the U tube.

In this hole is placed a rubber stopper 32 with tube and stop-cock 33 composed of glass or other material if deemed advisable.

l At the upper end of this ball a hole is cut. l l

l hen not in use the stop cook 33 with tube 32 is unshipped and placed in a retainer 34 as shown in Fig. 1, While the porous ball when unshipped is held by spring clips 35 as shown in Fig. 3.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is z-- 1. In apparatus for detecting the presence and volume of fire damp and other light gas, a U tube, a tube opening into the lower portion of said U tube, a mobile liquid in said tubes, means in connection with one of said tubes for controlling the height of the liquid in said tubes, means for producing endosmose action in connection with another ol. said tubes, a float carrying an electric terminal in the remaining tube, an electric terminal adapted to be contacted with said float terminal by the movement of the float, in combination with an electric alarm circuit connected with said terminals, batteries therefor,

an alarm and an indicator ad apted to be acted upon by the movement of the float.

In combination of gas by means of the movement of a liquid with apparatus of the 1 U tube type adapted to indicate the presence acted upon by the pressure resulting from the endosmose action of the gas, a tube opening into the lower portion cl? said U tube and means for regulating the height of the liquid in the latter by the creation of a vacuum in the former.

3. In combination with apparatus of the U tube type adapted to indicate the presence of gas by means of the movement of a liquid acted upon by the pressure resulting from the endosmose action of the gas, a tube opening into the lower portion of said U tube, a cock interposed between said parts, a hollow rubber ball connected with the upper end of said tube and a cock above such ball.

4. In apparatus for detecting the presence of gas in the atmosphere, a U tube, a mobile liquid partially lilling the same, means for producing endosmose action in connectionv with one arm of said tube, a Heat in the other arm of said tube and means for indicating the presence of gas in the atmosphere by the movement of said float, in combination with a tube opening into the U tube and means for regulating the height of the liquid in the latter by a vacuum in the former.

5. In apparatus for detecting the presence of gas in the atmosphere, a U tube, a mobile liquid partially :lilling the same, means lor producing endosmose action in connectioi 1. with one arm of said tube,.a lloat in the other arm of said tube and means for indicatin the presence of gas in the atmosphere by the movement 0]" said float in combination with a reservoir for the mobile liquid and means for controlling by a vacuum the supply ol the same therefrom to the U tube.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence cl two subscribing witnesses.

JAM M CCU 'JClrl E( )N itnesses I James FINLAY, TILLIA M. BRUCE. 

